Insect repellent formulation

ABSTRACT

A dry insect repellent includes a plurality of non-toxic natural essential oils and an amount of soybean oil, to facilitate even distribution of the active components throughout a dry carrier matrix. The dry carrier matrix facilitates storage, handling, and application of the dry insect repellent to a treatment area for the safe and effective control of mosquitoes and other pests.

CLAIM OF PRIORITY

The present application is a continuation-in-part of previously filedand currently U.S. patent application having Ser. No. 13/114,179 and afiling date of May 24, 2011, which will issue as U.S. Pat. No. 8,206,763on Jun. 26, 2012, which is a continuation of U.S. patent applicationhaving Ser. No. 12/313,077 and a filing date of Nov. 17, 2008, whichissued as U.S. Pat. No. 7,947,311 on May 24, 2011, which is acontinuation-in-part of U.S. patent application having Ser. No.11/891,658 and a filing date of Aug. 10, 2007, abandoned, each of whichare incorporated herein by reference in their entirety.

BACKGROUND

1. Field of the Invention

The present disclosure is directed to a safe, all natural, non-toxic andeffective insect repellent formulation comprising a plurality of activecomponents, including natural essential oils and other natural plantderivatives, which may be admixed with a dry solid absorbent carriermatrix in amounts sufficient to provide an effective concentration whichmay be safely and liberally applied to a desired area to repelmosquitoes, as well as other insects and pests.

2. Description of the Related Art

Mankind has been, literally, plagued by all variety of insects, walking,crawling, swimming, and/or flying since the dawn of time. Mankind hasalso deployed a variety of means of to eradicate or repel theseperceived pests, or both.

In recent history, a number of chemical insecticides have beenformulated for agricultural, commercial, and even personal application.A common drawback too many of these formulations is that, while perhapseffective in eradicating or repelling one or more of the intended pests,they also result in the introduction of unnatural toxins into ourenvironment, often with significant side effects. Perhaps the most wellknow example is the use of dichloro-diphenyl-trichloroethane, or DDT,which was widely used during the second world war to effect widespreadelimination of mosquitoes, and subsequently eliminating instances ofmalaria in vast portions of the world. Unfortunately, it was laterdiscovered that the residual DDT was also adversely affecting thepopulation of large birds of prey, including the American Eagle, amongothers. Specifically, it was determined that DDT was causing a thinningof the shells and decrease in healthy hatchlings to sustain thepopulations, which led to widespread bans on the application of DDT inmany concerns of the earth.

A common component in many chemical insecticides in use today ispyrethrin which, while considered to be amongst the safest insecticides,is known to irritate eyes, skin, and respiratory systems in humans. Inaddition, pyrethrin is known to be particularly harmful to aquatic life.

Amongst the numerous issues associated with such chemical insecticidesare the safe storage, transport, and handling of many of these chemicalsdue to the potential hazards they present. As a result, special licensesare often required for personnel transporting and/or applying suchchemicals. In addition, special permits are required to store many ofthese chemicals, not only by the manufacturer and distributor, but bythe home or business owner on whose property small quantities, e.g. 55gallon drums, of a chemical insecticide is temporarily stored forintermittent application on the property. The license and permittingrequirements demonstrate not only the hazardous nature of many of thesechemical insecticides, but are indicative of additional costs whichoccur in utilizing such insecticides as a result of specializedtraining, certification programs, specialized equipment, and/orregulatory oversight.

All of the foregoing precautions in place for storage, transport, andhandling of chemical insecticides do not eliminate the airborne hazardpresented upon application, as many of these chemicals are designed tobe applied by spray or misting systems. Thus, even with all of theprecautions to prevent unwanted release of these chemical insecticidesinto the environment, many of these chemicals are simply sprayed outinto the air and are permitted to land where they may, includingneighboring property and, perhaps, on the neighbors themselves.

In view of the foregoing, various non-toxic alternatives to such highlytoxic insecticides have been developed to either eradicate or repelnuisance insects, such as mosquitoes. One product which has beenutilized is the use of candles scented with citronella which, whenburned, are intended to repel mosquitoes. However, the effectiveness ofthis alternative is believed to be minimal, if in fact, effective atall.

As such, it would be beneficial to provide an insect repellentformulation which is non-toxic to the people, plants, and other animalswhich may be exposed to areas of application. The use of all naturalcomponents, or essentially all natural components would also be helpful,thereby eliminating or at least minimizing the production of potentiallyharmful by-products in the process. A further benefit may be obtainedfrom an insect repellent formulation that comprises long lastingeffects, thereby limiting the need for frequent re-application totreated areas. It would be further advantageous to provide such a longlasting, non-toxic insect repellent formulation via a dry absorbentcarrier matrix to facilitate application of the formulation in effectiveconcentrations to a desired area, as well as to facilitate storage ofthe formulation prior to use.

SUMMARY

As noted above, the present application is directed to a safe,non-toxic, and effective insect repellent formulation comprising naturalessential oils and plant derivatives in solution. The insect repellentformulation comprises a plurality of all natural active componentsincluding, but in no manner limited to one or more of cinnamon leafessential oil, garlic essential oil, lemon eucalyptus essential oil,lemongrass essential oil, peppermint essential oil, citronella Javaessential oil, and blue raspberry fragrant oil.

The insect repellent formation of the present application also comprisesat least one emulsifying agent which, in at least one embodiment, alsocomprises one or more all natural components. The emulsifying agent isutilized to maintain the plurality of oil based active components insolution, as the insect repellent formulation disclosed in the presentapplication is intended for application via an aqueous carrier solution,such as, for example, dilution in an amount of water.

In at least one embodiment, an amount of the formulation of the presentinvention is diluted to a total volume of about 100 gallons whichprovides an effective dosage for application to about one acre ofproperty, wherein the effective dosage continues to repel insects for aperiod of about eight and ten weeks. The present formulations haveproven effective in repelling mosquitoes, flies, and even rodents, fromtest application areas.

The insect repellent formulation of the present application alsocomprises a pH conditioning agent, to further facilitate solubilizationand stability of the active components in solution, as well as to assurethat the pH of the final aqueous solution is in a range that will not beharmful to plants or animals upon application. In at least oneembodiment, the pH conditioning agent also comprises an all naturalcompositions, such as, by way of example, an all natural and non-toxicapple cider vinegar.

At least one embodiment of the present repellent formulation disclosedin the present application comprises a buoyancy agent. In the presentapplication, the buoyancy agent comprises an all natural component whichhas proven effective in suffocating insect larvae, such as for example,mosquito larvae, in standing bodies of water such as may be present inan area of application. In at least one embodiment, the insect repellentformulation as disclosed in the present application comprises an allnatural and non-toxic soybean oil.

In one further embodiment, an all natural insect repellent formulationis admixed with a predetermined amount of a dry carrier matrix tofacilitate storage and handling of the formulation prior to use.Further, a dry insect repellent in accordance with the present inventionmay be effectively applied to a desired area without the need forspecialized equipment or specially trained personnel. As one example, inat least one embodiment, a dry insect repellent in accordance with thepresent invention may be applied quickly, simply, and accurately to adesired area via a common lawn feed/fertilizer spreader.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

To begin, the present application is directed to a safe, non-toxic, andeffective insect repellent formulation comprising natural essential oilderivatives in solution. In all but one of the embodiments disclosed inthe present application, the insect repellent formulation of the presentinvention further comprises additional components which are also allnatural. Further, the present application discloses formulations for aconcentrate of the insect repellent formulation, as well as presentingeffective dilution rates for various application methods of the insectrepellent formulation. At least one embodiment of the present inventioncomprises an insect repellent formulation in an aqueous carrier solutionto facilitate application via various methods including, but not limitedto, broadcast spraying techniques, boom spraying techniques, mistingsystems, just to name a few. One further embodiment of the presentinvention comprises an effective amount of an insect repellentformulation combined with a dry absorbent carrier matrix, to facilitatehandling and storage of the repellent formulation in a state which isready for immediate application to a desired area as necessary The dryabsorbent carrier matrix further facilitates even application of theinsect repellent formulation to a desired area without the need forspecialized and expensive pumping and metering equipment.

The insect repellent formulation comprises a plurality of activecomponents including, but in no manner limited to one or more of allnatural cinnamon leaf essential oil, garlic essential oil, lemoneucalyptus essential oil, lemongrass essential oil, peppermint essentialoil, citronella java essential oil, and blue raspberry fragrant oil.Each of the essential oils and the fragrant oil identified above arereadily available from a variety of sources, such as, New DirectionsAromatics, Inc., San Ramon, Calif. (“New Directions”). More inparticular, examples of essential oils and fragrant oils suitable forutilization in the present invention include cinnamon leaf essentialoil—New Directions Product Number 11034, garlic essential oil—NewDirections Product Number 11058, lemon eucalyptus essential oil—NewDirections Product Number 11082, lemongrass essential oil—New DirectionsProduct Number 11080, peppermint essential oil—New Directions ProductNumber 11115, citronella java essential oil—New Directions ProductNumber 11229, and blue raspberry fragrant oil—New Directions ProductNumber 23061. Table 1 below provides one example of the amounts of eachof the essential oils and fragrant oils in one embodiment, FormulationI, of the insect repellent formulation of the present invention.

TABLE 1 Formulation I Component % Volume Fluid Oz/100 Gal Cinnamon LeafEssential Oil 0.1 12.8 Garlic Essential Oil 0.1 12.8 Lemon EucalyptusEssential Oil 0.1 12.8 Peppermint Essential Oil 0.05 6.4 Citronella JavaEssential Oil 0.1 12.8 Blue Raspberry Fragrant Oil 0.05 6.4 SubtotalActive Components: 0.5 64 Emulsifying Agent 0.0-1.0  0-128 pHConditioning Agent 1.0-2.0 128-256 Subtotal Concentrate: 1.5-3.5 192-448Carrier Solution (% -- Gallons) 96.5-98.5 96.5-98.5 Total - FormulationI: 100% 100 Gallons

As illustrated in Table 1, in addition to the active components, i.e.,the essential oils and fragrant oil, the insect repellent formulation ofFormulation I comprises a pH conditioning agent, and may include anemulsifying agent. The emulsifying agent is utilized to maintain theplurality of oil based active components in solution. This is aconsideration as at least one embodiment of the insect repellentformulation disclosed in the present application is intended forapplication via an aqueous carrier solution, such as, for example,dilution in an amount of water, for example, to produce 100 gallons ofsolution of the insect repellent formulation which is ready for directapplication. Also as noted above, in at least one embodiment, theemulsifying agent comprises one or more all natural components. In atleast one embodiment, the emulsifying agent of Formulation I comprisesan all natural castile soap. In one alternate embodiment, theemulsifying agent comprises all natural soybean oil which, as discussedbelow, may also serve as a buoyancy agent.

Also as shown in Table 1, the insect repellent of Formulation Icomprises a pH conditioning agent, to further facilitate solubilizationand stability of the active components in solution, as well as to assurethat the pH of the final aqueous solution is in a range that will not beharmful to plants or animals upon application. In addition tofacilitating solubilization and stability, the pH conditioning agent iseffective in reducing, and in some instances, eliminating, mineraldeposits as are often encountered in spray equipment. Such deposits areknown to clog spray heads, as well as supply lines, which results inuneven application. The pH conditioning agent may also comprise an allnatural composition. In at least one embodiment, an all natural andnon-toxic apple cider vinegar is utilized as the pH conditioning agentfor use in Formulation I.

It is noted that the specific amounts of the various componentsidentified in Table 1 above, as well as the additional tables presentedhereinafter, are presented for illustrative purposes and are notintended to limit the insect repellent formulation of the presentapplication to the exact amounts listed in any of the tables. Rather, itis envisioned that deviations of plus or minus about 20-40 percent ofthe listed quantities for any one or more of the active components oragents in any of the tables presented herein will result in an insectrepellent formulation that is within the scope and intent of the presentapplication.

Turning next to Tables 2-A and 2-B, and corresponding Formulations II-Aand II-B, it is seen that the composition of the active components isthe same as presented in Table 1. In addition, and as above, all naturalapple cider vinegar may be utilized as the pH conditioning agent for theformulations presented below in Tables 2-A and 2-B.

However, it may also be seen that Formulations II-A and II-B comprise adifferent emulsifying agent than identified for Formulation I.Specifically, Formulations II-A and II-B utilize an emulsifying agentcomprising a mixture including esters of alkyl polyoxyethylene ethers.In at least one embodiment, this emulsifying agent is provided incombination with coupling agents and other constituents such as, by wayof example only, the composition known as E-Z Mix, a compatibility agentfor liquid fertilizer and pesticide mixtures, as is available fromLoveland Products, Inc., Greeley, Ill.

Review of the following tables also illustrates that the embodiment ofFormulation II-B is essential the same as Formulation II-A with theexception that Formulation II-B comprises a buoyancy agent in the amountof between about one-half to one percent by volume of a total dilutionready for direct application. A corresponding adjustment to the amountof carrier solution in Formulation II-B is also required to account forthe addition of the buoyancy agent. As noted above, the buoyancy agenthas been found to cause the insect repellent formulation to float on thesurface of standing bodies of water present in areas of application.More importantly, in doing so, the buoyancy agent has proven effectivein suffocating water borne larvae of various insects, such asmosquitoes. As noted above, in at least one embodiment, the buoyancyagent comprises all natural, safe, and non-toxic soybean oil.

TABLE 2-A Formulation II-A Component % Volume Fluid Oz/100 Gal CinnamonLeaf Essential Oil 0.1 12.8 Garlic Essential Oil 0.1 12.8 LemonEucalyptus Essential Oil 0.1 12.8 Peppermint Essential Oil 0.05 6.4Citronella Java Essential Oil 0.1 12.8 Blue Raspberry Fragrant Oil 0.056.4 Subtotal Active Components: 0.5 64 E-Z Mix Emulsifying Agent0.125-0.250 16-32 pH Conditioning Agent 1.0-2.0 128-256 SubtotalConcentrate: 1.625-2.75  208-352 Carrier Solution (% --Gallons) 97.25-98.375  97.25-98.375 Total Formulation II-A: 100% 100 Gallons

TABLE 2-B Formulation II-B Component % Volume Fluid Oz/100 Gal CinnamonLeaf Essential Oil 0.1 12.8 Garlic Essential Oil 0.1 12.8 LemonEucalyptus Essential Oil 0.1 12.8 Peppermint Essential Oil 0.05 6.4Citronella Java Essential Oil 0.1 12.8 Blue Raspberry Fragrant Oil 0.056.4 Subtotal Active Components: 0.5 64 E-Z Mix Emulsifying Agent0.125-0.250 16-32 pH Conditioning Agent 1.0-2.0 128-256 Buoyancy Agent0.5-1.0  64-128 Subtotal Concentrate: 2.125-3.75  272-480 CarrierSolution (% -- Gallons)  96.25-97.875  96.25-97.875 Total FormulationII-B: 100% 100 Gallons

Tables 3-A-1 through 3-B-2 present corresponding Formulations III-A-1through III-B-2. Once again, it may be seen that the composition of theactive components is the same as presented in Table 1, however, therelative amounts of each have been adjusted in Formulations III-A-2 andIII-B-2 to account for the reduction in the amount of carrier solutionrequired to produce a final total volume of 40 gallons of diluted insectrepellent formulation ready for direct application. Once again, asabove, all natural apple cider vinegar may be utilized as the pHconditioning agent for the formulations presented below in Tables 3-A-1and 3-B-2.

As also shown in Formulations III-A-1 through III-B-2, a plurality ofemulsifying agents are utilized, more in particular, a first and secondemulsifying agent are specified. Specifically, Formulations III-A-1through III-B-2 utilize a first emulsifying agent comprising a sorbitanmonooleate. In at least one embodiment, the first emulsifying agent isLumisorb SMO K, available from Lambert Technologies, Gurnee, Ill. Inaddition, Formulations III-A-1 through III-B-2 utilize a secondemulsifying agent comprising an ethoxylated sorbitan monooleate. In atleast one embodiment, the second emulsifying agent is Lumisorb PSMO-20K, also available from Lambert Technologies, Gurnee, Ill. Also, as notedabove with regard to Formulations II-A and II-B, the difference betweenFormulations III-A-1 and III-B-1, and corresponding Formulations III-A-2and III-B-2, is that the “B” formulations further comprise a buoyancyagent, with corresponding adjustments in carrier solution amounts toaccommodate the same. Once again, in at least one embodiment, thebuoyancy agent comprises all natural soybean oil.

TABLE 3-A-1 Formulation III-A-1 Component % Volume Fluid Oz/100 GalCinnamon Leaf Essential Oil 0.1 12.8 Garlic Essential Oil 0.1 12.8 LemonEucalyptus Essential Oil 0.1 12.8 Peppermint Essential Oil 0.05 6.4Citronella Java Essential Oil 0.1 12.8 Blue Raspberry Fragrant Oil 0.056.4 Subtotal Active Components: 0.5 64 First Emulsifying Agent 0.025 3.2(sorbitan monooleate) Second Emulsifying Agent 0.125 16 (ethoxylatedsorbitan monooleate) pH Conditioning Agent 1.0-2.0 128-256 SubtotalConcentrate: 1.65-2.65 211.2-339.2 Carrier Solution (% -- Gallons)97.35-98.35 97.35-98.35 Total Formulation III-A-1: 1000 100 Gallons

TABLE 3-B-1 Formulation III-B-1 Component % Volume Fluid Oz/100 GalCinnamon Leaf Essential Oil 0.1 12.8 Garlic Essential Oil 0.1 12.8 LemonEucalyptus Essential Oil 0.1 12.8 Peppermint Essential Oil 0.05 6.4Citronella Java Essential Oil 0.1 12.8 Blue Raspberry Fragrant Oil 0.056.4 Subtotal Active Components: 0.5 64 First Emulsifying Agent 0.025 3.2(sorbitan monooleate) Second Emulsifying Agent 0.125 16 (ethoxylatedsorbitan monooleate) pH Conditioning Agent 1.0-2.0 128-256 BuoyancyAgent 0.5-1.0 64-128 Subtotal Concentrate: 2.15-3.65 275.2-467.2 CarrierSolution (% -- Gallons) 96.35-97.85 96.35-97.85 Total FormulationIII-B-1: 100% 100 Gallons

TABLE 3-A-2 Formulation III-A-2 Component % Volume Fluid Oz/40 GalCinnamonLeaf Essential Oil 0.25 12.8 Garlic Essential Oil 0.25 12.8Lemon Eucalyptus Essential Oil 0.25 12.8 Peppermint Essential Oil 0.1256.4 Citronella Java Essential Oil 0.25 12.8 Blue Raspberry Fragrant Oil0.125 6.4 Subtotal Active Components: 1.25 64 First Emulsifying Agent0.0625 3.2 (sorbitan monooleate) Second Emulsifying Agent 0.3125 16(ethoxylated sorbitan monooleate) pH Conditioning Agent 2.5-5.0 128-256Subtotal Concentrate: 4.125-6.625 211.2-339.2 Carrier Solution (% --Gallons) 93.375-95.875 37.35-38.35 Total Formulation III-A-2: 100% 40Gallons

TABLE 3-B-2 Formulation III-B-2 Component % Volume Fluid Oz/40 GalCinnamon Leaf Essential Oil 0.25 12.8 Garlic Essential Oil 0.25 12.8Lemon Eucalyptus Essential Oil 0.25 12.8 Peppermint Essential Oil 0.1256.4 Citronella Java Essential Oil 0.25 12.8 Blue Raspberry Fragrant Oil0.125 6.4 Subtotal Active Components: 1.25 64.0 First Emulsifying Agent0.0625 3.2 (sorbitan monooleate) Second Emulsifying Agent 0.3125 16(ethoxylated sorbitan monooleate) pH Conditioning Agent  2.5-5.0 128-256Buoyancy Agent 1.25-2.5 64-28 Subtotal Concentrate: 5.375-9.125275.2-467.2 Carrier Solution (% -- Gallons) 90.875-94.625 36.35 -37.85Total Formulation III-B-2: 100% 40 Gallons

Next we turn to Tables 4-A and 4-B and Formulations IV-A and IV-B,respectively, which again comprise the same all natural activecomponents as presented in the preceding formulations. Also as above,Formulations IV-A and IV-B, in at least one embodiment, utilize allnatural apple cider vinegar as the pH conditioning agent. In addition,as discussed with regard to the preceding formulations, thedistinguishing feature as between Formulation IV-A and Formulation IV-Bis that is that the “B” formulation further comprises a buoyancy agent,with a corresponding adjustment in carrier solution amounts toaccommodate the same. As above, in at least one embodiment, the buoyancyagent comprises all natural soybean oil.

Of particular interest is that Formulations IV-A and IV-B comprise anall natural emulsifying agent, thereby resulting in completely allnatural insect repellent formulation. One embodiment of FormulationsIV-A and IV-B utilize a film-forming, non-ethoxylated emulsifying agentcomprising a complex of polyglycerine fatty acid esters, fatty alcoholand sodium stearoyl lactylate, which forms a gel matrix structure withinan emulsion to which an oil phase attaches. In at least one embodiment,Formulations IV-A and IV-B utilize a polyglyceryl-10 pentastearate,behenyl alcohol, and sodium stearoyl lactylate complex, such as,Nikkomulese-41 BPC, produced by Barnet Products Corporation, EnglewoodCliffs, N.J., as the all natural emulsifying agent.

TABLE 4-A Formulation IV-A Component % Volume Fluid Oz/100 Gal CinnamonLeaf Essential Oil 0.1 12.8 Garlic Essential Oil 0.1 12.8 LemonEucalyptus Essential Oil 0.1 12.8 Peppermint Essential Oil 0.05 6.4Citronella Java Essential Oil 0.1 12.8 Blue Raspberry Fragrant Oil 0.056.4 Subtotal Active Components: 0.5 64 Emulsifying Agent 0.8 102(Nikkomulese-41 BPC) Initial Carrier Solution 8.7 1114 SubtotalConcentrate: 10.0 1280 pH Conditioning Agent 0.25-1.0  32-128 FinalCarrier Solution (% -- Gal) 89.0-89.75 89.0-89.75 Total FormulationIV-A: 100% 100 Gallons

TABLE 4-B Formulation IV-B Component % Volume Fluid Oz/100 Gal CinnamonLeaf Essential Oil 0.1 12.8 Garlic Essential Oil 0.1 12.8 LemonEucalyptus Essential Oil 0.1 12.8 Peppermint Essential Oil 0.05 6.4Citronella Java Essential Oil 0.1 12.8 Blue Raspberry Fragrant Oil 0.056.4 Subtotal Active Components: 0.5 64 Emulsifying Agent 0.8 102(Nikkomulese-41 BPC) Buoyancy Agent 0.5-1.0 64-128 Initial CarrierSolution 7.7-8.2 984-1050 Subtotal Concentrate: 10.0 1280 pHConditioning Agent 0.25-1.0  32-128 FinalCarrier Solution(% -- Gal)89.0-89.75 89.0-89.75 Total Formulation IV-B: 100% 100 Gallons

Review of Tables 4-A and 4-B further illustrates that the “concentrate”of both Formulation IV-A and Formulation IV-B comprise an initial amountof carrier solution. These tables further illustrate that the“concentrate” for these formulations do not comprise the pH ConditioningAgent. This is due to the all natural emulsifying agent employed inFormulations IV-A and IV-B. Specifically, an initial amount of carriersolution is required in combination with the active components and theall natural emulsifying agent to maintain a stable, thoroughlyhomogenous concentrate solution. For the same reason, in at least oneembodiment, and as illustrated in Tables 4-A and 4-B, the pHconditioning agent is not added to the “concentrate” of FormulationsIV-A or IV-B, rather, it is not added until preparation of a workingsolution, i.e., dilution with the concentrate into a final amount ofcarrier solution, just prior to application, as is discussed in greaterdetail below.

A variation of Formulation IV-A is utilized to produce a base “cream”formulation, by eliminating the carrier solution, which is applieddirectly to a person or an animal to provide an insect repellent barrierfor the person or animal. In such an embodiment, the cream base may besupplemented with one or more additives to further enhance desirabilityof the formulation. As one example, a sunscreen, for example, titaniumdioxide and/or zinc oxide, may be incorporated into the cream base toprovide the dual purposes of protection from insect and pests, as wellas protecting a user from the harmful rays of the sun. In one furtherembodiment, an amount of pure and all natural Emu oil may beincorporated into the cream base thereby imparting the beneficialeffects of Emu oil to the user, while providing protection from insectsand other pests. Yet another embodiment may comprise an amount ofandiroba oil, which exhibits analgesic, anti-bacterial andanti-inflammatory properties, and may be incorporated in the cream baseeither alone, or in combination with one or more of the additives notedabove.

The present application further provides, by way of example, processingparameters for a number of the formulations presented above. Forexample, the formulation presented in Table 2-A may be prepared inaccordance with the following. To begin, the specified amount of activecomponents including natural essential oils and other natural plantderivatives, in accordance with Formulation II-A, are blended togetherwith an emulsifying agent comprising a mixture including esters of alkylpolyoxyethylene ethers at a rate of about 1 to 2 parts of emulsifyingagent per 4 parts of active components, e.g., 16 to 32 fluid ounces ofE-Z Mix Emulsifying Agent to 64 fluid ounces of active components,utilizing a paddle blender at low speed, approximately forty (40)revolutions per minute (rpm), for about five (5) minutes. While stillmixing at low speed, a pH conditioning agent is slowly added to theinitial mixture in an amount of about 2 to 4 times that of the activecomponents, e.g., 128 to 256 fluid ounces of apple cider vinegar.Following the addition of the pH conditioning agent, continue mixing atlow speed for about five (5) minutes. At this point, a concentrate forFormulation II-A is obtained. The foregoing process may be carried outat room temperature and ambient pressure in an open or vented mixingchamber.

The “concentrate” produced in accordance with Formulation II-A and theforegoing process is stable and may be stored at room temperature forextended periods until it is ready for application. A final workingsolution may be obtained by diluting the concentrate in an appropriatevolume of a carrier solution. As one example, the carrier solutioncomprises water, and the dilution rate may be between about 1.5 and 3.0percent of concentrate by volume in water. More in particular, and aspresented in Table 2-A, an amount of between about 208 and 352 fluidounces of concentrate is diluted in water to prepare a working solutionhaving a final volume of about 100 gallons, which is suitable forapplication via broadcast spraying and boom spraying applications. Atthis dilution, the formulation may also be suitable for application viamisting and/or aerosol systems, however, other dilutions may be desiredfor such misting and/or aerosol applications.

The formulation presented in Table 2-B is prepared essentially as abovewith one additional step. Specifically, after thoroughly mixing the pHconditioning agent into the concentrate for Formulation II-A, an amountof a buoyancy agent in an amount of between about 1 to 2 times that ofthe active components is added, e.g., 64 to 128 fluid ounces of soybeanoil, is thoroughly blended into the concentrate at low speed for anadditional five (5) minutes. As with the foregoing formulation, theconcentrate comprising the buoyancy agent will also remain stable atroom temperatures for extended periods of time until ready forapplication. Also as above, this concentrate may be diluted in anappropriate volume of a carrier solution, such as, water, to prepare aworking solution for application via broadcast spraying, boom spraying,and possibly misting systems.

The process to produce the formulations presented in Tables 3-A-1through 3-B-2 is slightly modified from that presented above forFormulations II-A and II-B. In particular, each of the formulationspresented in Tables 3-A-1 through 3-B-2 comprises two emulsifyingagents. An initial step in the process is the addition of a pHconditioning agent to a first emulsifying agent and blending thesecomponents together in a paddle blender. In at least one formulation,the first emulsifying agent comprises a sorbitan monooleate, forexample, Lumisorb SMO K, and the pH conditioning agent comprises applecider vinegar. Once the first emulsifying agent and the pH conditioningagent are thoroughly blended together at low speed for about five (5)minutes, the active components are slowly added and blended in at lowspeed, once again, about 40 rpm, for another five (5) minutes. Next, thesecond emulsifying agent is added and the entire concentrate is blendedtogether at low speed for an additional period of about 30 minutes. Aspresented above in Tables 3-A-1 through 3-B-2, the second emulsifyingagent comprises an ethoxylated sorbitan monooleate, such as, LumisorbPSMO-20 K. At this point, a concentrate in accordance with FormulationsIII-A-1 and III-A-2 is obtained. To obtain a concentrate in accordancewith Formulations III-B-1 or III-B-2, a buoyancy agent, for example,soybean oil, is added prior to the addition of the second emulsifyingagent, in the amounts identified in the Tables 3-B-1 and 3-B-2,respectively. As above, this process may be carried out at roomtemperature and pressure.

As with the concentrate for Formulations II-A and II-B, the concentratesfor Formulations III-A-1 through III-B-2 are stable and may be storedfor extended periods of time at room temperature, until such time asthey are readied for application, i.e., dilution into an appropriatevolume of carrier solution, in accordance with the amounts providedabove in Tables 3-A-1 through 3-B-2. For example, the concentrate can beused at a dilution of between about 1.5 to 4.0 percent in water forbroadcast spray applications. In at least one embodiment, a 100 gallonworking solution comprising 2.5 percent of concentrate in water providesan effective application dosage for about one (1) acre of undevelopedland.

Higher dilutions of between about 4.0 to 10.0 percent of concentrate incarrier solution may be utilized to produce a lower total volume forapplication, e.g., 40 gallons, such as may be desired for farm,residential and commercial sites. For example, field applications usingboom spraying equipment are often calibrated for 40 gallons of sprayvolume per acre.

With regard to the formulations presented in Tables 4-A and 4-B, afurther modified process requiring elevated temperatures is required. Tobegin, the active components and an emulsifying agent, in accordancewith the amounts listed in Table 4-A or 4-B, are mixed together at atemperature of between about 167 and 176 degrees Fahrenheit (° F.),forming an “oil phase.” As noted above, Formulations IV-A and IV-Butilize an emulsifying agent comprising a complex of polyglyceryl-10pentastearate, behenyl alcohol, and sodium stearoyl lactylate. In atleast one embodiment, the emulsifying agent utilized in FormulationsIV-A and IV-B comprise the all natural, plant derived emulsifying agent,Nikkomulese BPC-41. An amount of a carrier solution, for example, water,is also heated to the temperature range of about 167 to 176° F. to forman “aqueous phase,” is required for homogenization of the “oil phase”with the all natural emulsifying agent, the amount of carrier solutionbeing between about 8 to 10 times that of the “oil phase.” Whilemaintaining temperature in the range of 167 to 176° F., the “oil phase”and the “aqueous phase” are thoroughly mixed together for between about15 and 20 minutes at high speed, e.g., about 3000 rpm, such as may beachieved in a homogenizer. After high speed mixing, the homogenizedsolution is permitted to cool to room temperature, thereby forming astable concentrate in accordance with Formulation IV-A which may bestored for extended periods of time prior to application. As with thepreceding formulations, a variation comprising a buoyancy agent such assoybean oil, e.g., Formulation IV-B, may be prepared by adding thebuoyancy agent, in an amount of about 1 to 2 times that of the totalamount of the active components, to the “oil phase” prior to heating andhomogenization with the “aqueous phase.”

The concentrates prepared in accordance with Formulations IV-A and IV-B,and the foregoing process, do not comprise a pH conditioning agent, asthe acidity of the pH conditioning agent may cause the “oil phase” and“aqueous phase” to at least partially separate after even a limitedamount storage time. While this “phase” separation is not detrimental tothe effectiveness of the formulations, the end user should thoroughlymix the concentrate prior to further dilution into a carrier solution,to assure even distribution of the active components throughout theentire volume of the resultant working solution. To eliminate potentialmisapplication which may result from such “phase” separation, the pHconditioning agent can be added at the time of dilution of theconcentrate into the final volume of carrier solution, therebyeliminating the need for any aggressive mixing prior to application bythe end user. In at least one embodiment, the pH conditioning agent isadded in an amount of between about 0.25 and 1.0 percent of the finalvolume of solution, e.g., one-quarter (¼) to one (1) gallon per onehundred (100) gallons of working solution.

As previously stated, Formulations IV-A and IV-B are produced solelyfrom all natural components, and as such, it is particularly well suitedfor agricultural, residential, and commercial applications, and may beapplied utilizing standard, commercially available pest control sprayingequipment at an application rate of about 100 gallons of a workingsolution per acre. Thus, the amount of concentrate of these formulationsrequired per acre is about 10 gallons.

Table 5 below provides one example of the amounts of each the essentialoil in an embodiment which is a variation on Formulation I, replacinglemon eucalyptus essential oil with lemongrass essential oil andeliminating blue raspberry fragrant oil.

TABLE 5 Formulation V Component % Volume Fluid Oz/100 Gal Cinnamon LeafEssential Oil 0.1 12.8 Garlic Essential Oil 0.1 12.8 LemongrassEssential Oil 0.1 12.8 Peppermint Essential Oil 0.05 6.4 Citronella JavaEssential Oil 0.1 12.8 Subtotal Active Components: 0.45 57.6 EmulsifyingAgent 0.0-1.0  0-128 pH Conditioning Agent 1.0-2.0 128-256 SubtotalConcentrate: 1.45-3.45 185.6-441.6 Carrier Solution (% -- Gallons)96.55-98.55 96.55-98.55 Total - Formulation V: 100% 100 Gallons

Similar to the insect repellent formulation of Formulation I,Formulation V comprises a pH conditioning agent, and may include anemulsifying agent. The emulsifying agent is utilized to maintain theplurality of oil based active components in solution. This is aconsideration as at least one embodiment of the insect repellentformulation disclosed in the present application is intended forapplication via an aqueous carrier solution, such as, for example,dilution in an amount of water, for example, to produce 100 gallons ofsolution of the insect repellent formulation which is ready for directapplication. Also as noted above, in at least one embodiment, theemulsifying agent comprises one or more all natural components. In atleast one embodiment, the emulsifying agent of Formulation V comprisesan all natural castile soap. In one alternate embodiment, theemulsifying agent comprises all natural soybean oil which, as discussedbelow, may also serve as a buoyancy agent.

Also as shown in Table 5, the insect repellent of Formulation Vcomprises a pH conditioning agent which, as in Formulation I, furtherfacilitates solubilization and stability of the active components insolution, as well as to assure that the pH of the final aqueous solutionis in a range that will not be harmful to plants or animals uponapplication. In addition to facilitating solubilization and stability,the pH conditioning agent is effective in reducing, and in someinstances, eliminating, mineral deposits as are often encountered inspray equipment. Such deposits are known to clog spray heads, as well assupply lines, which results in uneven application. The pH conditioningagent may also comprise an all natural composition. In at least oneembodiment, an all natural and non-toxic apple cider vinegar is utilizedas the pH conditioning agent for use in Formulation I.

It is noted that the specific amounts of the various componentsidentified in the foregoing tables, as well as the additional tablespresented below, are presented for illustrative purposes and are notintended to limit the insect repellent formulation of the presentapplication to the exact amounts listed in any of the tables. Rather, itis envisioned that deviations of plus or minus about 20-40 percent ofthe listed quantities for any one or more of the active components oragents in any of the tables presented herein will result in an insectrepellent formulation within the scope and intent of the presentapplication.

Turning next to Tables 6-A and 6-B, and corresponding Formulations VI-Aand VI-B, it is seen that the composition of the active components isthe same as presented in Table 5. In addition, and as above, all naturalapple cider vinegar may be utilized as the pH conditioning agent for theformulations presented below in Tables 6-A and 6-B.

However, it may also be seen that Formulations VI-A and VI-B comprise adifferent emulsifying agent than identified for Formulation V.Specifically, Formulations VI-A and VI-B utilize an emulsifying agentcomprising a mixture including esters of alkyl polyoxyethylene ethers.In at least one embodiment, this emulsifying agent is provided incombination with coupling agents and other constituents such as, by wayof example only, the composition known as E-Z Mix, a compatibility agentfor liquid fertilizer and pesticide mixtures, as is available fromLoveland Products, Inc., Greeley, Ill.

Review of the following tables also illustrates that the embodiment ofFormulation VI-B is essentially the same as Formulation VI-A with theexception that Formulation VI-B comprises a buoyancy agent in the amountof between about one-half to one percent by volume of a total dilutionready for direct application. A corresponding adjustment to the amountof carrier solution in Formulation VI-B is also required to account forthe addition of the buoyancy agent. As noted above, the buoyancy agenthas been found to cause the insect repellent formulation to float on thesurface of standing bodies of water present in areas of application.More importantly, in doing so, the buoyancy agent has proven effectivein suffocating water borne larvae of various insects, such asmosquitoes. As noted above, in at least one embodiment, the buoyancyagent comprises all natural, safe, and non-toxic soybean oil.

TABLE 6-A Formulation VI-A Component % Volume Fluid Oz/100 Gal CinnamonLeaf Essential Oil 0.1 12.8 Garlic Essential Oil 0.1 12.8 LemongrassEssential Oil 0.1 12.8 Peppermint Essential Oil 0.05 6.4 Citronella JavaEssential Oil 0.1 12.8 Subtotal Active Components: 0.45 57.6 E-Z MixEmulsifying Agent 0.125-0.25 16-32 pH Conditioning Agent  1.0-2.0128-256 Subtotal Concentrate: 1.575-2.70  201.6-345.6  Carrier Solution(% -- Gallons) 97.30-98.425 97.30-98.425 Total Formulation VI-A: 100%100 Gallons

TABLE 6-B Formulation VI-B Component % Volume Fluid Oz/100 Gal CinnamonLeaf Essential Oil 0.1 12.8 Garlic Essential Oil 0.1 12.8 LemongrassEssential Oil 0.1 12.8 Peppermint Essential Oil 0.05 6.4 Citronella JavaEssential Oil 0.1 12.8 Subtotal Active Components: 0.45 57.6 E-Z MixEmulsifying Agent 0.125-0.250 16-32 pH Conditioning Agent 1.0-2.0128-256 Buoyancy Agent 0.5-1.0  64-128 Subtotal Concentrate: 2.075-3.70 265.6-473.6  Carrier Solution (% -- Gallons) 96.30-97.925 96.30-97.925Total Formulation VI-B: 100% 100 Gallons

Tables 7-A-1 through 7-B-2 present corresponding Formulations VII-A-1through VII-B-2. Once again, it may be seen that the composition of theactive components is the same as presented in Table 5, however, therelative amounts of each have been adjusted in Formulations VII-A-2 andVII-B-2 to account for the reduction in the amount of carrier solutionrequired to produce a final total volume of 40 gallons of diluted insectrepellent formulation ready for direct application. Once again, asabove, all natural apple cider vinegar may be utilized as the pHconditioning agent for the formulations presented below in Tables 7-A-1and 7-B-2.

As also shown in Formulations VII-A-1 through VII-B-2, a plurality ofemulsifying agents are utilized, more in particular, a first and secondemulsifying agent are specified. Specifically, Formulations VII-A-1through VII-B-2 utilize a first emulsifying agent comprising a sorbitanmonooleate. In at least one embodiment, the first emulsifying agent isLumisorb SMO K, available from Lambert Technologies, Gurnee, Ill. Inaddition, Formulations VII-A-1 through VII-B-2 utilize a secondemulsifying agent comprising an ethoxylated sorbitan monooleate. In atleast one embodiment, the second emulsifying agent is Lumisorb PSMO-20K, also available from Lambert Technologies, Gurnee, Ill. Also, as notedabove with regard to Formulations VI-A and VI-B, the difference betweenFormulations VII-A-1 and VII-B-1, and corresponding Formulations VII-A-2and VII-B-2, is that the “B” formulations further comprise a buoyancyagent, with corresponding adjustments in carrier solution amounts toaccommodate the same. Once again, in at least one embodiment, thebuoyancy agent comprises all natural soybean oil.

TABLE 7-A-1 Formulation VII-A-1 Component % Volume Fluid Oz/100 GalCinnamon Leaf Essential Oil 0.1 12.8 Garlic Essential Oil 0.1 12.8Lemongrass Essential Oil 0.1 12.8 Peppermint Essential Oil 0.05 6.4Citronella Java Essential Oil 0.1 12.8 Subtotal Active Components: 0.4557.6 First Emulsifying Agent 0.025 3.2 (sorbitan monooleate) SecondEmulsifying Agent 0.125 16 (ethoxylated sorbitan monooleate) pHConditioning Agent 1.0-2.0 128-256 Subtotal Concentrate: 1.60-2.60204.8-332.8 Carrier Solution (% -- Gallons) 97.40-98.40 97.40-98.40Total Formulation VII-A-1: 100% 100 Gallons

TABLE 7-B-1 Formulation VII-B-1 Component % Volume Fluid Oz/100GalCinnamon Leaf Essential Oil 0.1 12.8 Garlic Essential Oil 0.1 12.8Lemongrass Essential Oil 0.1 12.8 Peppermint Essential Oil 0.05 6.4Citronella Java Essential Oil 0.1 12.8 Subtotal Active Components: 0.4557.6 First Emulsifying Agent 0.025 3.2 (sorbitan monooleate) SecondEmulsifying Agent 0.125 16 (ethoxylated sorbitan monooleate) pHConditioning Agent 1.0-2.0 128-256 Buoyancy Agent 0.5-1.0  64-128Subtotal Concentrate: 2.10-3.60 268.8-460.8 Carrier Solution (% --Gallons) 96.40-97.90 96.40-97.90 Total Formulation VII-B-1: 100% 100Gallons

TABLE 7-A-2 Formulation VII-A-2 Component % Volume Fluid Oz/40 GalCinnamon Leaf Essential Oil 0.25 12.8 Garlic Essential Oil 0.25 12.8Lemongrass Essential Oil 0.25 12.8 Peppermint Essential Oil 0.125 6.4Citronella Java Essential Oil 0.25 12.8 Subtotal Active Components:1.125 57.6 First Emulsifying Agent 0.0625 3.2 (sorbitan monooleate)Second Emulsifying Agent 0.3125 16 (ethoxylated sorbitan monooleate) pHConditioning Agent 2.5-5.0 128-256 Subtotal Concentrate: 4.00-6.50204.8-332.8 Carrier Solution (% -- Gallons) 93.50-96.00 37.40-38.40Total Formulation VII-A-2: 100% 40 Gallons

TABLE 7-B-2 Formulation VII-B-2 Component % Volume Fluid Oz/40 GalCinnamon Leaf Essential Oil 0.25 12.8 Garlic Essential Oil 0.25 12.8Lemongrass Essential Oil 0.25 12.8 Peppermint Essential Oil 0.125 6.4Citronella Java Essential Oil 0.25 12.8 Subtotal Active Components:1.125 57.6 First Emulsifying Agent 0.0625 3.2 (sorbitan monooleate)Second Emulsifying Agent 0.3125 16 (ethoxylated sorbitan monooleate) pHConditioning Agent  2.5-5.0 128-256 Buoyancy Agent 1.25-2.5  64-128Subtotal Concentrate: 5.25-9.00 268.8-460.8 Carrier Solution (% --Gallons) 91.00-94.75 36.40-37.90 Total Formulation VII-B-2: 100% 40Gallons

Next we turn to Tables 8-A and 8-B and Formulations VIII-A and VIII-B,respectively, which again comprise the same all natural activecomponents as presented in the preceding formulations. Also as above,Formulations VIII-A and VIII-B, in at least one embodiment, utilize allnatural apple cider vinegar as the pH conditioning agent. In addition,as discussed with regard to the preceding formulations, thedistinguishing feature as between Formulation VIII-A and FormulationVIII-B is that is that the “B” formulation further comprises a buoyancyagent, with a corresponding adjustment in carrier solution amounts toaccommodate the same. As above, in at least one embodiment, the buoyancyagent comprises all natural soybean oil.

Of particular interest is that Formulations VIII-A and VIII-B comprisean all natural emulsifying agent, thereby resulting in a completely allnatural insect repellent formulation. One embodiment of FormulationsVIII-A and VIII-B utilizes a film-forming, non-ethoxylated emulsifyingagent comprising a complex of polyglycerine fatty acid esters, fattyalcohol and sodium stearoyl lactylate, which forms a gel matrixstructure within an emulsion to which an oil phase attaches. In at leastone embodiment, Formulations VIII-A and VIII-B utilize a polyglyceryl-10pentastearate, behenyl alcohol, and sodium stearoyl lactylate complex,such as, Nikkomulese-41 BPC, produced by Barnet Products Corporation,Englewood Cliffs, N.J., as the all natural emulsifying agent.

TABLE 8-A Formulation VIII-A Component % Volume Fluid Oz/100 GalCinnamon Leaf Essential Oil 0.1 12.8 Garlic Essential Oil 0.1 12.8Lemongrass Essential Oil 0.1 12.8 Peppermint Essential Oil 0.05 6.4Citronella Java Essential Oil 0.1 12.8 Subtotal Active Components: 0.4557.6 Emulsifying Agent 0.8 102 (Nikkomulese-41 BPC) Initial CarrierSolution 8.7 1114 Subtotal Concentrate: 9.95 1273.6 pH ConditioningAgent 0.25-1.0   32-128 Final Carrier Solution (% -- Gal) 89.05-89.8089.05-89.80 Total Formulation VIII-A: 100% 100 Gallons

TABLE 8-B Formulation VIII-B Component % Volume Fluid Oz/100 GalCinnamon Leaf EssentialOil 0.1 12.8 Garlic Essential Oil 0.1 12.8Lemongrass Essential Oil 0.1 12.8 Peppermint Essential Oil 0.05 6.4Citronella Java Essential Oil 0.1 12.8 Subtotal Active Components: 0.4557.6 Emulsifying Agent 0.8 102 (Nikkomulese-41 BPC) Buoyancy Agent0.5-1.0 64-128 Initial Carrier Solution 7.7-8.2 986-1050 SubtotalConcentrate:  9.45-10.45 1209.6-1337.6 pH Conditioning Agent 0.25-1.0  32-128 Final Carrier Solution (% -- Gal) 88.55-90.30 88.55-90.30 TotalFormulation VIII-B: 100% 100 Gallons

Review of Tables 8-A and 8-B further illustrates that the “concentrate”of each of Formulation VIII-A and Formulation VIII-B comprises aninitial amount of carrier solution. These tables further illustrate thatthe “concentrate” for these formulations do not comprise the pHConditioning Agent. This is due to the all natural emulsifying agentemployed in Formulations VIII-A and VIII-B. Specifically, an initialamount of carrier solution is required in combination with the activecomponents and the all natural emulsifying agent to maintain a stable,thoroughly homogenous concentrate solution. For the same reason, in atleast one embodiment, and as illustrated in Tables 8-A and 8-B, the pHconditioning agent is not added to the “concentrate” of FormulationsVIII-A or VIII-B, rather, it is not added until preparation of a workingsolution, i.e., dilution with the concentrate into a final amount ofcarrier solution, just prior to application, as is discussed in greaterdetail below.

A variation of Formulation VIII-A is utilized to produce a base “cream”formulation, by eliminating the carrier solution, which is applieddirectly to a person or an animal to provide an insect repellent barrierfor the person or animal. In such an embodiment, the cream base may besupplemented with one or more additives to further enhance desirabilityof the formulation. As one example, a sunscreen, for example, titaniumdioxide and/or zinc oxide, may be incorporated into the cream base toprovide the dual purposes of protection from insect and pests, as wellas protecting a user from the harmful rays of the sun. In one furtherembodiment, an amount of pure and all natural Emu oil may beincorporated into the cream base thereby imparting the beneficialeffects of Emu oil to the user, while providing protection from insectsand other pests. Yet another embodiment may comprise an amount ofandiroba oil, which exhibits analgesic, anti-bacterial andanti-inflammatory properties, and may be incorporated in the cream baseeither alone, or in combination with one or more of the additives notedabove.

The present application further provides, by way of example, processingparameters for a number of the formulations presented above. Forexample, the formulation presented in Table 6-A may be prepared inaccordance with the following. To begin, the specified amount of activecomponents including natural essential oils, in accordance withFormulation VI-A, are blended together with an emulsifying agentcomprising a mixture including esters of alkyl polyoxyethylene ethers ata rate of about 1 to 2 parts of emulsifying agent per 4 parts of activecomponents, e.g., 16 to 32 fluid ounces of E-Z Mix Emulsifying Agent to57.6 fluid ounces of active components, utilizing a paddle blender atlow speed, approximately forty (40) revolutions per minute (rpm), forabout five (5) minutes. While still mixing at low speed, a pHconditioning agent is slowly added to the initial mixture in an amountof about 2 to 4 times that of the active components, e.g., 128 to 256fluid ounces of apple cider vinegar. Following the addition of the pHconditioning agent, continue mixing at low speed for about five (5)minutes. At this point, a concentrate for Formulation VI-A is obtained.The foregoing process may be carried out at room temperature and ambientpressure in an open or vented mixing chamber.

The “concentrate” produced in accordance with Formulation VI-A and theforegoing process is stable and may be stored at room temperature forextended periods until it is ready for application. A final workingsolution may be obtained by diluting the concentrate in an appropriatevolume of a carrier solution. As one example, the carrier solutioncomprises water, and the dilution rate may be between about 1.5 and 3.0percent of concentrate by volume in water. More in particular, and aspresented in Table 6-A, an amount of between about 200 and 350 fluidounces of concentrate is diluted in water to prepare a working solutionhaving a final volume of about 100 gallons, which is suitable forapplication via broadcast spraying and boom spraying applications. Atthis dilution, the formulation may also be suitable for application viamisting systems, however, other dilutions may be desired for suchmisting applications.

The formulation presented in Table 6-B is prepared essentially as abovewith one additional step. Specifically, after thoroughly mixing the pHconditioning agent into the concentrate for Formulation VI-A, an amountof a buoyancy agent in an amount of between about 1 to 2 times that ofthe active components is added, e.g., 64 to 128 fluid ounces of soybeanoil, is thoroughly blended into the concentrate at low speed for anadditional five (5) minutes. As with the foregoing formulation, theconcentrate comprising the buoyancy agent will also remain stable atroom temperatures for extended periods of time until ready forapplication. Also as above, this concentrate may be diluted in anappropriate volume of a carrier solution, such as, water, to prepare aworking solution for application via broadcast spraying, boom spraying,and possibly misting systems.

The process to produce the formulations presented in Tables 7-A-1through 7-B-2 is slightly modified from that presented above forFormulations VI-A and VI-B. In particular, each of the formulationspresented in Tables 7-A-1 through 7-B-2 comprises two emulsifyingagents. An initial step in the process is the addition of a pHconditioning agent to a first emulsifying agent and blending thesecomponents together in a paddle blender. In at least one formulation,the first emulsifying agent comprises a sorbitan monooleate, forexample, Lumisorb SMO K, and the pH conditioning agent comprises applecider vinegar. Once the first emulsifying agent and the pH conditioningagent are thoroughly blended together at low speed for about five (5)minutes, the active components are slowly added and blended in at lowspeed, once again, about 40 rpm, for another five (5) minutes. Next, thesecond emulsifying agent is added and the entire concentrate is blendedtogether at low speed for an additional period of about 30 minutes. Aspresented above in Tables 7-A-1 through 7-B-2, the second emulsifyingagent comprises an ethoxylated sorbitan monooleate, such as, LumisorbPSMO-20 K. At this point, a concentrate in accordance with FormulationsVII-A-1 and VII-A-2 is obtained. To obtain a concentrate in accordancewith Formulations VII-B-1 or VII-B-2, a buoyancy agent, for example,soybean oil, is added prior to the addition of the second emulsifyingagent, in the amounts identified in the Tables 7-B-1 and 7-B-2,respectively. As above, this process may be carried out at roomtemperature and pressure.

As with the concentrate for Formulations VI-A and VI-B, the concentratesfor Formulations VII-A-1 through VII-B-2 are stable and may be storedfor extended periods of time at room temperature, until such time asthey are readied for application, i.e., dilution into an appropriatevolume of carrier solution, in accordance with the amounts providedabove in Tables 7-A-1 through 7-B-2. For example, the concentrate can beused at a dilution of between about 1.5 to 4.0 percent in water forbroadcast spray applications. In at least one embodiment, a 100 gallonworking solution comprising 2.5 percent of concentrate in water providesan effective application dosage for about one (1) acre of undevelopedland.

Higher dilutions of between about 4.0 to 10.0 percent of concentrate incarrier solution may be utilized to produce a lower total volume forapplication, e.g., 40 gallons, such as may be desired for farm,residential and commercial sites. For example, field applications usingboom spraying equipment are often calibrated for 40 gallons of sprayvolume per acre.

With regard to the formulations presented in Tables 8-A and 8-B, afurther modified process requiring elevated temperatures is required. Tobegin, the active components and an emulsifying agent, in accordancewith the amounts listed in Table 8-A or 8-B, are mixed together at atemperature of between about 167 and 176 degrees Fahrenheit (° F.),forming an “oil phase.” As noted above, Formulations VIII-A and VIII-Butilize an emulsifying agent comprising a complex of polyglyceryl-10pentastearate, behenyl alcohol, and sodium stearoyl lactylate. In atleast one embodiment, the emulsifying agent utilized in FormulationsVIII-A and VIII-B comprise the all natural, plant derived emulsifyingagent, Nikkomulese BPC-41. An amount of a carrier solution, for example,water, is also heated to the temperature range of about 167 to 176° F.to form an “aqueous phase,” is required for homogenization of the “oilphase” with the all natural emulsifying agent, the amount of carriersolution being between about 8 to 10 times that of the “oil phase.”While maintaining temperature in the range of 167 to 176° F., the “oilphase” and the “aqueous phase” are thoroughly mixed together for betweenabout 15 and 20 minutes at high speed, e.g., about 3000 rpm, such as maybe achieved in a homogenizer. After high speed mixing, the homogenizedsolution is permitted to cool to room temperature, thereby forming astable concentrate in accordance with Formulation VIII-A which may bestored for extended periods of time prior to application. As with thepreceding formulations, a variation comprising a buoyancy agent such assoybean oil, e.g., Formulation VIII-B, may be prepared by adding thebuoyancy agent, in an amount of about 1 to 2 times that of the totalamount of the active components, to the “oil phase” prior to heating andhomogenization with the “aqueous phase.”

The concentrates prepared in accordance with Formulations VIII-A andVIII-B, and the foregoing process, do not comprise a pH conditioningagent, as the acidity of the pH conditioning agent may cause the “oilphase” and “aqueous phase” to at least partially separate after even alimited amount storage time. While this “phase” separation is notdetrimental to the effectiveness of the formulations, the end usershould thoroughly mix the concentrate prior to further dilution into acarrier solution, to assure even distribution of the active componentsthroughout the entire volume of the resultant working solution. Toeliminate potential misapplication which may result from such “phase”separation, the pH conditioning agent can be added at the time ofdilution of the concentrate into the final volume of carrier solution,thereby eliminating the need for any aggressive mixing prior toapplication by the end user. In at least one embodiment, the pHconditioning agent is added in an amount of between about 0.25 and 1.0percent of the final volume of solution, e.g., one-quarter (¼) to one(1) gallon per one hundred (100) gallons of working solution.

As previously stated, Formulations VIII-A and VIII-B are produced solelyfrom all natural components, and as such, it is particularly well suitedfor agricultural, residential, and commercial applications, and may beapplied utilizing standard, commercially available pest control sprayingequipment at an application rate of about 100 gallons of a workingsolution per acre. Thus, the amount of concentrate of these formulationsrequired per acre is about 10 gallons.

Table 9 below provides an example of yet another all naturalformulation, Formulation IX, which is a concentrate of an insectrepellent in accordance with the present invention.

TABLE 9 Formulation IX (Concentrate) Component % Weight Cinnamon LeafEssential Oil 3.70 Garlic Essential Oil 3.80 Lemongrass Essential Oil3.80 Peppermint Essential Oil 3.20 Citronella Java Essential Oil 3.10Subtotal Active Components: 17.60 First Emulsifying Agent 7.09 SecondEmulsifying Agent 36.56 pH Conditioning Agent 38.75 Subtotal Non-ActiveComponents: 82.40 Total Formulation IX (Concentrate): 100.00%

Table 9 illustrates that Formulation IX, a concentrated insect repellantformulation which may be diluted in water, or other suitable carriersolution prior to application, comprises all natural active components,namely, cinnamon leaf, garlic, lemongrass, peppermint, and citronellaJava essential oils. Further, in at least one embodiment of Formulation1× as shown in Table 9, and in order to provide a completely naturalformulation, the first emulsifying agent comprises a lecithin compoundsuch as, by way of example only, ALCOLEC® EM, which is available fromthe American Lecithin Company of Oxford, Conn.

In addition, and consistent with the goal of providing a completelynatural formulation, soybean oil is utilized as the second emulsifyingagent in the present formulation. In a number of the foregoingformulations, soybean oil has been included as a buoyancy agent,however, in the development of the concentrate Formulation IX, aspresented above in Table 9, it has been determined that the soybean oilis actually dispersed into the solution, and does not float on thesurface or otherwise serve as a buoyancy agent. It is believed that thepH conditioning agent serves to “break up” the soybean oil into smallmiscible droplets, thereby precluding or at least significantlyinhibiting its otherwise buoyant characteristics.

Finally, and again in the interest of providing a completely naturalformulation, the pH conditioning agent in at least one embodiment ofFormulation IX comprises acetic acid, in the form of apple cidervinegar. As noted above, it is believed that the pH conditioning agentinteracts with the soybean oil to significantly inhibit the oil'sbuoyant characteristics.

It will be appreciated from the foregoing that Formulation IX isrepresentative of a concentrate which may be subsequently mixed into anappropriate amount of a carrier solution, such as, by way of exampleonly, water, prior to application. A concentrate formulation prepared inaccordance with Table 9 will remain stable and effective for an extendedperiod of time provided it is properly stored in a cool dry place, andat room temperature. Table 10 below presents a few examples of effectivemixing rates of the concentrate of Formulation IX in a carrier solution,such as water:

TABLE 10 Dilution Rate for Formulation IX Concentrate Volume of Volumeof Carrier Concentrate Solution 3.2 oz 1 gallon 1.0 pt  5 gallons  1.0qt  10 gallons  2.0 qt  20 gallons  4.0 qt  40 gallons  5.0 qt  50gallons 10.0 qt 100 gallons

When the concentrate of Formulation IX is diluted into water inaccordance with the dilution rates presented in Table 10 above, one (1)gallon of concentrate mixed with 40 gallons of water will be effectivefor treating about 0.4 acres, or approximately 17,500 square feet.Further, a full acre may be treated with a volume of 2.5 gallons, i.e.,10 quarts, of the concentrate of Formulation IX mixed into 100 gallonsof water, also in accordance with Table 10. As with the previouslydefined formulations, upon dilution, the concentrate of Formulation IXmay be applied to a treatment area via a pump up sprayer, spray tank,mister or aerosol dispersion device, just to name a few.

Application of the concentrate of Formulation IX, mixed in water inaccordance with Table 10, has proven effective in repelling a variety offlying and crawling insects including, but not limited to, mosquitoes,flies, thrips, aphids, millipedes, noseeums, sod webworms, spidermites,whitefly, chinch bugs, armyworms, cutworms, billbugs, ticks, fleas,carpenter ants, and carpenter bees. Formulation IX has also been foundto be an effective repellant for other pests or nuisances such as, andagain, by way of example only, rats, mice, lizards, deer, and more.

A variation of Formulation IX may also be utilized to produce a base“cream” formulation, by eliminating the carrier solution, which isapplied directly to a person or an animal to provide an insect repellentbarrier for the person or animal. In such an embodiment, the cream basemay be supplemented with one or more additives to further enhancedesirability of the formulation. As one example, a sunscreen, forexample, titanium dioxide and/or zinc oxide, may be incorporated intothe cream base to provide the dual purposes of protection from insectand pests, as well as protecting a user from the harmful rays of thesun. In one further embodiment, an amount of pure and all natural Emuoil may be incorporated into the cream base thereby imparting thebeneficial effects of Emu oil to the user, while providing protectionfrom insects and other pests. Yet another embodiment may comprise anamount of andiroba oil, which exhibits analgesic, anti-bacterial andanti-inflammatory properties, and may be incorporated in the cream baseeither alone, or in combination with one or more of the additives notedabove.

Preparation of the Formulation IX concentrate of Table 9, in at leastone embodiment, is as follows. An initial step in the process is tocharge an appropriately sized mixing vessel with an amount of a pHconditioning agent, e.g., apple cider vinegar, and begin mixing thesolution at high speed, approximately 1750 revolutions per minute(“rpm”). While mixing the pH conditioning agent, the first emulsifyingagent, e.g., lecithin, in a corresponding amount as specified inaccordance with Table 9 is slowly added to the mixing vessel, and the pHconditioning agent and first emulsifying agent are permitted tothoroughly mix together at high speed for approximately thirty (30)minutes. Next, and again while maintaining high speed mixing, an amountof the second emulsifying agent, e.g., soybean oil, is added to themixing vessel, again in a corresponding amount as specified inaccordance with Table 9.

Once the pH conditioning agent, the first emulsifying agent, and thesecond emulsifying agent have been introduced into the mixing vesselunder high speed mixing conditions, the active components are then addedto complete the concentrate formulation. In at least one embodiment, theactive components are added. More in particular, in at least oneembodiment, the first active ingredient added to the mixing vessel iscitronella Java essential oil followed, in order, by lemongrassessential oil, cinnamon leaf essential oil, peppermint essential oil,and garlic essential oil. After all of the active components, i.e., theessential oils, have been added to the pH conditioning agent and theemulsifying agents in the mixing vessel, the entire composition is mixedat high speed for at least an additional thirty (30) minutes to assure asubstantially homogenous composition throughout the mixing vessel, suchthat it may be packaged into a plurality of containers for storageand/or distribution for use. In the event packaging into smallercontainers is not accomplished within approximately forty-five (45)minutes of completion of mixing in the active components, thecomposition in the mixing vessel should be remixed prior to packaging.

The process for preparing the concentrate of Formulation IX may becarried out at room temperature and pressure. As previously indicated,although Table 9 lists specific amounts of each component present inFormulation IX, in terms of relative percent by weight of each componentin the final formulation, variations in the amount of any component inthe range of about 20% to 40% above or below the listed values areexpected to result in an insect repellent formulation which falls withinthe scope and intent of the present invention.

As previously stated, the present invention further comprises an allnatural insect repellent formulation which is combined with a drycarrier matrix to facilitate storage, handling, and application. In oneembodiment, the all natural insect repellent formulation comprises amixture of all natural essential oils, such as disclosed above. More inparticular, in at least one embodiment, an insect repellent formulationin accordance with the present invention comprises a mixture of cinnamonleaf, garlic, lemongrass, peppermint, and citronella Java essentialoils. Further, in the embodiment of Formulation XI shown below in Table11, and in order to provide a completely natural formulation, an amountof soybean oil is combined with the aforementioned essential oils tofacilitate even distribution of the essential oils throughout a drycarrier matrix.

A dry carrier matrix in accordance with the present invention maycomprise any of a number of materials which are inert and non-reactivewhen combined with essential oils and soybean oil. Further, a drycarrier matrix must be oil absorbent, so as to substantially retain theessential oils therein in a stable manner to avoid the need for specialstorage or handling. In accordance with the present invention, a drycarrier matrix may comprise one or more of a number of dry oil absorbentmaterials including, but in no manner limited to, fuller's earth, whichis the major component of clay based kitty litter and is also known ashormite clay, and diatomaceous earth.

Table 11 below provides an example of another all natural formulation,Formulation XI, which is an insect repellent formulation in accordancewith the present invention which is specifically developed and admixedwith a dry carrier matrix, such that a “dry” non-toxic insect repellentresults.

TABLE11 “Dry” Insect Repellent Formulation XI Component Weight (lbs) %Weight Cinnamon Leaf Essential Oil 0.33 1.32 Garlic Essential Oil 0.331.32 Lemongrass Essential Oil 0.28 1.12 Peppermint Essential Oil 0.281.12 Citronella Java Essential Oil 0.28 1.12 Subtotal Active Components:1.50 6.00 Soybean Oil 8.63 34.50 Concentrated Liquid Fraction: 10.1340.50 Dry Carrier Matrix 14.87 59.50 Total “Dry” Insect Repellent XI:25.00 100.00%

The “dry” non-toxic insect repellent presented in Table 11 may beprepared in accordance with the following. To begin, the specifiedamount of active components including natural essential oils and soybeanoil, in accordance with Formulation XI, are blended together utilizing apaddle blender at low speed, approximately forty (40) revolutions perminute (rpm), for about five (5) minutes. At this point, a concentratedliquid fraction for Formulation XI is obtained. The foregoing processmay be carried out at room temperature and ambient pressure in an openor vented mixing chamber.

The concentrated liquid fraction produced in accordance with FormulationXI and the foregoing process is stable and may be stored at roomtemperature for extended periods. A final “dry” non-toxic insectrepellent is obtained by mixing the concentrated liquid fraction with anappropriate amount of a dry carrier matrix. As one example, the drycarrier matrix comprises a clay based kitty litter in an amount ofapproximately 15 pounds of kitty litter per 10 pounds of theconcentrated liquid fraction. A predetermined amount of a dry carriermatrix is added to a mixing vat, and while mixing at low speed, ancorresponding amount of a concentrated liquid fraction is slowly addedunder continued mixing until a homogenous mixture of the dry carriermatrix and the concentrated liquid fraction is obtained.

As shown in Table 11, about 25 pounds of a “dry” insect repellent may beprepared in accordance with Formulation XI, which is suitable forapplication via standard readily calibrated seed/fertilizer spreadersfor both commercial and residential usage. In accordance withFormulation XI, 25 pounds of “dry” non-toxic insect repellent comprisesan amount of about 1 gallon of concentrated liquid fraction which, inaccordance with previously disclosed formulations, is an effectiveapplication rate for the treatment of approximately 17,500 square feetof undeveloped property.

It is noted that the specific amounts of the various componentsidentified in Table 11 above, are presented for illustrative purposesand are not intended to limit the dry insect repellent of the presentapplication to the exact amounts listed in the table. Rather, it isenvisioned that deviations of plus or minus about 20-40 percent of thelisted quantities for any one or more of the active components or agentsin any of the tables presented herein will result in an insect repellentformulation that is within the scope and intent of the presentapplication.

It is further believed that application of the “dry” non-toxic insectrepellent of Formulation XI, similar to the liquid formulationspresented herein, will be effective in repelling a variety of flying andcrawling insects including, but not limited to, mosquitoes, flies,thrips, aphids, millipedes, noseeums, sod webworms, spidermites,whitefly, chinch bugs, armyworms, cutworms, billbugs, ticks, fleas,carpenter ants, and carpenter bees, as well as other pests or nuisancessuch as, and again, by way of example only, rats, mice, lizards, deer,and more. Finally, similar to the other insect repellent formulationsdisclosed herein, application of the dry insect repellent at aneffective application rate is non-toxic to plants and animals present inthe treatment area.

Since many modifications, variations and changes in detail can be madeto the described preferred embodiment of the invention, it is intendedthat all matters in the foregoing description and shown in theaccompanying drawings be interpreted as illustrative and not in alimiting sense. Thus, the scope of the invention should be determined bythe appended claims and their legal equivalents.

Now that the invention has been described,

What is claimed is:
 1. A dry insect repellent comprising: an amount ofcinnamon leaf essential oil of between about 1.0% to 2.0% by weight, anamount of garlic essential oil of between about 1.0% to 2.0% by weight,an amount of lemongrass essential oil of between about 1.0% to 2.0% byweight, an amount of peppermint essential oil of between about 1.0% to2.0% by weight, an amount of citronella java essential oil of betweenabout 1.0% to 2.0% by weight, an amount of soybean oil of between about30.0% to 40.0% by weight, wherein said amount of cinnamon leaf essentialoil, said amount of garlic essential oil, said amount of lemongrassessential oil, said amount of peppermint essential oil, said amount ofamount of citronella java essential oil, and said amount of soybean oilare mixed together to form a concentrated liquid fraction, and an amountof a dry carrier matrix of between about 50.0% to 65.0% by weight,wherein said concentrated liquid fraction is mixed together with saidamount of said dry carrier matrix to produce said dry insect repellent.2. The dry insect repellent as recited in claim 1 wherein a singleapplication of said dry insect repellent at an effective applicationrate repels mosquitoes for a period of about eight weeks.
 3. The dryinsect repellent as recited in claim 2 wherein said effectiveapplication rate is defined as about 25 pounds of said dry insectrepellent per 17,500 square feet of a treatment area.
 4. The dry insectrepellent as recited in claim 2 wherein said effective application rateis defined as about 1.4 pounds of said dry insect repellent per 1,000square feet of a treatment area.
 5. The dry insect repellent as recitedin claim 4 wherein application of said dry insect repellent at saideffective application rate is non-toxic to plants and animals present inthe treatment area.
 6. The dry insect repellent as recited in claim 1wherein said dry carrier matrix comprises fuller's earth.
 7. The dryinsect repellent as recited in claim 1 wherein said dry carrier matrixcomprises diatomaceous earth.
 8. A dry non-toxic insect repellentcomprising: an amount of cinnamon leaf essential oil of about 1.3% byweight, an amount of garlic essential oil of about 1.3% by weight, anamount of lemongrass essential oil of about 1.2% by weight, an amount ofpeppermint essential oil of about 1.1% by weight, an amount ofcitronella java essential oil of about 1.1% by weight, an amount ofsoybean oil of about 34.5% by weight, wherein said amount of cinnamonleaf essential oil, said amount of garlic essential oil, said amount oflemongrass essential oil, said amount of peppermint essential oil, saidamount of amount of citronella java essential oil, and said amount ofsoybean oil are mixed together to form a concentrated liquid fraction,and an amount of a dry carrier matrix of about 59.5% by weight, whereinsaid concentrated liquid fraction is mixed together with said amount ofsaid dry carrier matrix to produce said dry non-toxic insect repellent.9. The dry insect repellent as recited in claim 8 wherein said drycarrier matrix comprises fuller's earth.
 10. The dry insect repellent asrecited in claim 8 wherein said dry carrier matrix comprisesdiatomaceous earth.
 11. A dry insect repellent for application to aparcel of land, wherein application of said dry insect repellent to theparcel of land at an effective application rate is non-toxic to plantsand animals present on the parcel of land, said dry insect repellentcomprising: an amount of cinnamon leaf essential oil of between about1.0% to 2.0% by weight, an amount of garlic essential oil of betweenabout 1.0% to 2.0% by weight, an amount of lemongrass essential oil ofbetween about 1.0% to 2.0% by weight, an amount of peppermint essentialoil of between about 1.0% to 2.0% by weight, an amount of citronellajava essential oil of between about 1.0% to 2.0% by weight, an amount ofsoybean oil of between about 30.0% to 40.0% by weight, wherein saidamount of cinnamon leaf essential oil, said amount of garlic essentialoil, said amount of lemongrass essential oil, said amount of peppermintessential oil, said amount of amount of citronella java essential oil,and said amount of soybean oil are mixed together to form a concentratedliquid fraction, and an amount of a dry carrier matrix of between about50.0% to 65.0% by weight, wherein said concentrated liquid fraction ismixed together with said amount of said dry carrier matrix to producesaid dry insect repellent for application to a parcel of land.
 12. Thedry insect repellent as recited in claim 11 wherein said dry carriermatrix comprises fuller's earth.
 13. The dry insect repellent as recitedin claim 11 wherein said dry carrier matrix comprises diatomaceousearth.